Hello Dr. Geraghty. I am fifteen, and at meals, I am very careful to pray and thank God for my food before I eat. Though both Catholic, neither of my parents pray before meals, and I have to remind my five siblings to do so every meal. However, having back from Mass today, my sister told me that my Dad feels that I just pray to show off and when I pray at night I am not really praying at all, but just using it as an excuse to not have to interact with others. Pray is an incredibly important and amazing thing to me, and it hurts and astonishes me that I am facing such gossip within my family. What should I do?

Answer by Richard Geraghty on 10/6/2013:

Dear Stephanie,

Tell your father what you just said. Or tell your mother to tell your father. Or just
keep praying that your parents see the light. It is their responsibility to lead in the
prayers. But sometimes it might not be prudent to tell a parent that. Then pray for a
good time when you can remind them respectfully. Keep on soldiering.